Cloth-cutting machine



(No Model.)

` F. W. NBVBNS.

L 1( IJ'IH CUTTING MACHINE.-

No. 3752.926. Patented Nov. 8.1887.

UNrTnD STATES FRANK IV. NEVENS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CLOTH-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,926, dated November8, 1887.

Application filed Jul) 29, 1887. Serial No. 245,630. (Nomoilcl.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. Nnvnns, a citizen of the United States,land a resident of the city of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State ofMinnesota, have invented a certain new and useful Cloth Cutting Machine,of which the following' is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to machines designed for use in the manufacture ofready-made clothing, in multiplying suits from a common pattern, and forsimilar uses wherein it is desirable to cut through a large number oflayers of cloth; and it has for its object to provide a simple,economical, and efficient machine for the purpose.

My invention consists of the construction hereinafter fully describedand particularly claimed.-

In the-drawings, like letters referring to like parts, Figure lis a sideelevation of my en-V tire machine; and Fig. 2 is a front View of a partof the same, showing the driving mechanism and the means of supportingthe knife.

A B O is the main frame, constituting the knife and motor carriage, ofwhich Ais a diskshaped base-plate, concave on its under and convex onits upper surface, and having a thin-edged periphery. B is a verticalstandard rigidly secured to the disk A, and C is a cap-plate andmotor-seat rigidly attached to the top of said standard and extendingrearward at an acute angle to the same, but at an angle which is only alittle less than a right angle.

D is a bracket-shaped brace connectingB and C, serving both tostrengthen the frame and as a handle to the machine. The standard B iswider at the bottom than at the top. Its rear edge is straight andperpendicular to the disk A. Its front edge is inclined backward, andthe part of it below the handle D is beveled both toward the front andthe rear from the central vertical line. The front edge of this standardB is provided with a longitudinal groove, b, extending its entirelengt-h,v

which is adapted to serve as a seat and guide for the cutting-knife. Thecap-plate or motorseat C extends forward of thevstandard B and isthickened up in its centralpart by the 'downwardly-proj ecting block C',cast integral therechine.

with. Through C and C from top to bottoni. with its back in line withthe groove b, is cut a rectangular slot, c, which is adapted to pass across-head and serve as a guide for the same.

Eisthe cutting-knife. It is a flat thin piece of steel, the back ofwhich is a straight edge and adapted to fit in the groove b, the shankof which, e, is adapted to be attached to a crosshead, and the blade ofwhich, e', has its cutting-edge on an incline with reference to itsback. In other words, the blade is wider at the top than it is at thebottom. Its lower end is not a point, but is atan acute angle to theback ofthe blade and has a cutting-edge.

F is a cross-head adapted to fit the slot c and provided with means forattaching the knife E at one end and a connecting-rod at the other.

G- is an electric motor rigidly attached to the cap-plate C, adapted,when connected to a source of electricity, to impartmotion to its shaftg.

H is an eccentric on the shaft G, and H' is the eccentric-rod connectingthe same with the cross-head F. l

K and K are the wires ofan electric circuit, connecting theelectro-magnets of the motor G with a source of electricity.

L is an elevated track or guide supported at someconvenientpointabovethetable on which the cloth is to be cut.

M is a little carriage or traveler movable to and fro along said track.To this carriage by a swivel is attached a block, N, with holes or ringsn, through which pass the wires K K. To the block N is also attached asheave, P. Over this sheave passes a small chain or rope, Q, carrying acounter-weight, R, at one end and attached at the other to some suitablepart of the motor G or the frame of the machine. The function of thiscounter-weight is to lighten ,the load which the operator will have tomove about in handling the machine. The purpose of the track andtraveler is to sustain the wires and counter-weight out of the way andgive a wide range of movement of the ma- The reason for setting themotor-seat G at an acute angle to the standard B is to bring the shaft gat a like angle to the knifeguide, and thereby impart a drawing cut orshear action to the knife-blade. The knife E is prevented fromdisplacement in its guide IOO b by a keeper, S, inelosing the heel ofthe same and attached to the standard B.

The operation of the machine is a follows: The shaft q being set inmotion by connecting the electro-magnets of the motor G with a source ofelectricity, thc knife E is moved up and down in its guide with greatrapidity. rIhe layers of cloth are fastened together with the pattern011 top. The machine is then moved forward b y the operator, the disk Apassing under the lowest layer and the blade e following the lines ot'the pattern and entting through the entire mass. rIlhe number` of layersof cloth which may be cut through in this way, forming duplicates of acommon pattern, is limited only by the power ofthe motor G, and this maybe varied at will by adopting motors of more or less power.

The shape and peculiar motion imparted to my knife is a material pointin cifecting the result. In virtue of the shape of the bladepoint thereis liever any failure to start the euton the first layer. In virtueofthe inclined blade the depth of-cut is increased throughout thestroke, and in virtue of its drawing or shear-like cut the separation ismade with less power and greater certainty, and in virtue ot' the motionby which this is done the knife clears itself on its upward thrust.

Placing the motor directly-on the knife carriage or frame is a materialand valuable point in my machine, as it enables the operator to obtainat'ar wider range of movement with the machine. The mechanism fortransmitting the power is all out of his way, his table is clear, andthe cloth docs not need to be moved in cutting out the pattern. Alldiiiiculties commonly arising from disalignment ot' the layers isthereby avoided. A n electric motor is a great convenience, as thenecessary electro-motive force can generally be so easily obtained.

rlhe coiinter-weight R may be kept direct-ly over the machine by makingthe track L inevable over cross-guides placed under its opposite ends.

IVhat I claim,and desire to secure by Leiters Patent of the UnitedStates, is as follows:

1. In a cloth-cutting machine, in combination with a disk adapted tolift up the lower layer of cloth, a vertical standard rigidly attachedto said disk and provided with a knife guide or groove at aslightlyobtuse angle to said disk, a knife or cutter reciprocating in thevertical plane, provided with a straightedged back adapted to tit intosaid groove and with a cutting-edge set on an incline upward and outwardfrom said back, and an electromotor located on said carriage and coupledto said cutter, substantially as described, for iinparting motion tosaid knife, whereby said knife operates with a drawing or .shearlikecut.

2. In combination with a cloth-cutting niachinc, an elevated track, atraveler movable to and fro along said track, a pendent block swiveledto said traveler, a sheave attached to said block, and a chain or cordpassing over said shcave, carrying a counter-weight at one end andattached to said cloth-cutting machine at the other, substantially asdescribed,where by the work of moving the said machine about the tablein cutting the cloth is greatly lessened.

3. In combination, the disk A., the standard B, provided withknife-groove b, cap -plate or motor-seat C, at an acute angle to saidstandard and provided with the cross-head, slot, or guide c, theelectric motor G, having a drivingshaft, y, set at an acute angle to thegroove b when the motor is in position ou the seat C and the verticalplane passing through the axis of the driving-shaft cuts the groove b,the cutting-knife E c c', as described,work ing in the groove b,eccentric H on shaft g, eccentric-rod II', cross-head l", working insaid slot c and connecting said eccentric-rod and knife, and an electriccircuit connecting said motor with a source of electricity,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JAs. F. WILnmM'soN, 15Min ELMORE.

